In my upcoming historical romance, Lawless Hearts, a female Pinkerton detective and an Irish-Cherokee outlaw work together to find a missing agent and become entangled in a net of corruption, crime and murder. It’s a tale of daring deception, pulse-pounding suspense and sizzling romance, in a Western setting that is as authentic as it is wild.
The entire series is rooted in historical events that follow the expansion of the railroad across the American West, and it features numerous secondary characters from the pages of history. For my heroine, I took inspiration from the history of the Pinkerton Agency and the country’s first female detective.
A woman who made history
In 1856, a young 20-something woman named Kate Warne answered an advertisement for detectives posted by Allan Pinkerton to fill his fledgling agency. According to Pinkerton’s records, she convinced its progressive founder that women could be “most useful in worming out secrets in many places which would be impossible for a male detective.” Her arguments and determination impressed Pinkerton and he hired her over the objection of his brother Robert, who was also a partner in the business. Thus Warne became the first female private detective in the United States.
Warne was an excellent private investigator and acted undercover, infiltrating social gatherings and events. During the Civil War, she was instrumental in saving Lincoln from the first assassination attempt. She wore disguises and changed her accent at will and became a huge asset for the agency. Later, Pinkerton hired other females and appointed Warne as Supervisor of Female Detectives. She mentored and trained other young women who sought to break out of the Cult of True Womanhood that persisted throughout the 19th and into the 20th century.
Two opposites who defy historical norms
In Lawless Hearts, Brigit Stevens is modeled after the young female detectives mentored by Kate Warne. These were women who sought to break out of the Cult of True Womanhood. They defied cultural norms and broke down societal structures. In that sense, they were truly “lawless” in their pursuit of justice.
Jasper Byrne isn’t just an outlaw whose heart is reawakened. His conscience is under intense reconstruction, as well. After spending most of his life attempting to be someone he isn’t—a bad guy—he takes Brigit up on her offer to join her on the right side of the law. Although he doesn’t perceive himself as a hero. In fact, he’s confused when Brigit treats him like one. But her determination to reform him inspires Jasper to resist the flow of culture and history and end up like so many others in his situation—at the end of a rope.
Unfortunately, there are some who have the law on their side and are using it for nefarious purposes, and they have Brigit and Jasper in the crosshairs.
Here’s a blurb:
Lawless Hearts
Book 5 in the series Steam! Romance and Rails
The deal she offers him could be a path to freedom or a detour straight to hell.
Jasper Byrne has been an outlaw more than half his life. He’d do things differently, if he had the chance, but it is too late to change—or so he thinks. In chains, on his way to court where he expects to be convicted, he is hijacked from under the nose of a U.S. Marshal by a woman who pretends to be a reporter.
Brigit Stevens has worked as an undercover Pinkerton agent for ten years, guarding her heart while putting high-ranking rascals behind bars. But when a fellow detective goes missing during a railroad investigation, she has to turn to a train robber for help. She offers him a deal if he’ll guide her to an outlaw hideout where even lawmen don’t dare to go.
Jasper admires the beautiful detective’s pluck and her clever disguises, but she doesn’t seem to understand he’s a scoundrel. As for Brigit, she is more even more surprised when the dangerously sexy outlaw steals her heart before she can find the lock.
Can an outlaw and a Pinkerton form more than a temporary partnership? Does love have the power to rewrite the future and create second chances?
A high-powered Western romance that transports readers back to the wild American frontier where lawless hearts reigned. Don’t miss the last, most exciting, episode in the series Steam! Romance and Rails.
Lawless Hearts will be released this summer, but it’s available as a preorder now. In the meantime, if you haven’t read the series, you can get started with Her Bodyguard for free if you sign up now for my newsletter.
As a special offer, I’ll also give away a copy of Fugitive Hearts, which sets the stage for Lawless Hearts.
What would be a woman’s strengths in working for the Pinkerton’s that a man wouldn’t have? I can think of several.
E.E. Burke is a bestselling author of historical romances that combine her unique blend of wit and warmth. Her books have been nominated for numerous national and regional awards, including Booksellers’ Best, National Readers’ Choice and Kindle Best Book. She was also a finalist in the RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® contest. Over the years, she’s been a disc jockey, a journalist and an advertising executive, before finally getting around to living the dream–writing stories readers can get lost in.
Find out more about her and her books at her website: http://www.eeburke.com
A woman’s intuition.
Absolutely! And Brigit uses her intuition when she chooses a train robber as her temporary partner. Thanks for commenting, Denise, and good luck in the drawing!
Good morning and Happy April, EE. It’s so great to have you here, my sweet friend.
Your book sounds amazing.
To answer your question, I think the biggest advantage a female would have is anonymity.
Would would be looking for a female Pinkerton? She would be able to blend in and her being a woman, others may be more willing to giveaway evidence, over-talk, thinking they are talking to a housewife, or widow, or a young lady (depending on her age), as just a casual conversation.
Congrats on another book in your Steam Series. Love & hugs to you & your family.
Thank you, Tonya! You’re right about anonymity. And in fact, my agent Brigit uses fake names and disguises and can even alter her voice, like Kate Warne. Her cleverness and courage, as well as her thirst for adventure, are what make her a great agent.
I hope you and your family are doing well. Wish we could see each other in person! Do let me know if you are in the KC area. Love and hugs!
Women were often underestimated.
This is so true. Back in the day, they were not expected to be working in male dominated roles. Brigit and her twin sister meet with quite a bit of resistance, even amongst their fellow detectives. Thanks for commenting, Debra, and good luck in the drawing!
Good morning! How fun to see you here! I loved the history on Kate Waren, I love to be reminded of all she accomplished with Pinkerton. It would be amazing to have been her!
To answer your question, it would be easier for a woman to disguise themselves in many different ways.
Woman would be able to coax information out of men mich more easily than a man by using just a little female flirtation and such. Well out of wives and daughters, too, without being suspected. After all no one would suspect a woman of being a Pinkertin detective.
Good morning, Stephanie! You are right, the disguises and ability to blend in help with cases especially involving wives or girl friends. In Brigit’s case, she’s in an unfamiliar environment where there aren’t many women around. She and Jasper have to team up as partners. I’m so glad you enjoyed the article! Good luck in the drawing!
Women have a knack for listening, empathizing, and building trust.
Women are good at staying calm when needed and keeping a heated situation from escalating.
Women are great at multitasking and balancing between taking the time to use logic and common sense and making quick decisions when needed.
Women are more likely to use violent means as a last resort than a man and thereby keep the public around them safer.
However, women can be stubborn, hard-nosed, and even ruthless when the situation calls for it.
In addition, in historical settings, people would be less likely to consider a woman to be a Pinkerton agent.
Wow! Those are all fantastic answers, Janice. In fact, Brigit is faced with a brutal choice at one point, and her training is the only thing that allows her to act quickly and decisively. Thanks for commenting! Good luck in the drawing!
I could see women getting into places where secrets are told and hear things men can’t.
Susan, you’re right. They can, and they can do it without attracting a lot of attention. This is what made Kate such a great detective. Thanks for commenting, and good luck with the drawing!
Some women can be very sneaky. This would be a great asset for a Pinkerton woman. A woman could easily ease drop on conversations while pretending to be dusting or bringing the gentlemen their coffee or tea.
Yes, Connie! I love your answers! These are great ways women use to ferret out information. In fact, this was exactly how Kate worked in many cases, just hanging around talking to people. Thanks for your comment! Good luck with the drawing.
Women are resourceful, pay attention to detail, and can be quite scheming. I think to be a Pinkerton agent, she would have to demonstrate a mind of intrigue and an attitude to never give up.
Kathy, that’s so true. My agent Brigit has all those characteristics and her resourcefulness especially allows her to work in environments that aren’t familiar. With a little help from her outlaw partner! Thanks for commenting. Good luck with the drawing!
What a unique woman! I can definitely see where women would have an advantage as far as fleshing out secrets. Great post! Congratulations on your new book! It looks great!
Thank you, Jan! So good to see you here. I miss our trips together.
I’m really excited about this book, and I think it may be my favorite two characters in the series!
Love and hugs!
A woman’s discernment. This series sounds like an epic adventure!
Yes, indeed, discernment is a must for a detective. And, yes, this series is an epic adventure with lots of romance and suspense. I hope you’ll check it out. Thanks for commenting and good luck in the drawing.
Hi Leigh, welcome back to P&P! We’re glad you came to visit. You always have such interesting posts. Kate Warne was so amazing. She must’ve had very good instincts and nerves of steel. 🙂 I’m very excited about your new book. It sounds so good. I remember Jasper from one of the previous books. Might’ve been Fugitive Hearts. He was an interesting man and you said then that you wanted to write his story. I can’t wait to see how you redeem him. Enjoy your visit. Wishing you much success.
Linda, thank you for inviting me! I am so honored to be able to share my stories and historical research. Yes, Jasper appears in three of the four books. Very small part in Redbird, larger part in Dangerous Hearts, and he save the life of a runaway in Fugitive Hearts. I’ve been working on redeeming him a little in each book, and this one is where he really rises to the occasion and becomes the man he’s always wanted to be–with a little help! Love you, dear friend! Thank you so much for your support!
Women can feel and sense about life.
Women’s intellect and bravery were and still are underestimated. Kate Warne needed to make a living and I assume she wanted it to be interesting.
Rachel, that’s true that we are still underestimated even after so many years and so many successes! Kate did need to make a living and she was brave enough to do what she was good at! Thanks for commenting and good luck with the drawing!
True, Laini, women do have better connections to their feelings and some very practical things about life. It’s part of what makes these women such great intuitive detectives. Thanks for commenting, and good luck with the drawing!
A woman thinks differently, sees differently than a man….a woman could put her spin on things.
Melanie, you are right it’s a real advantage for how women think versus men. In Brigit’s case, she uses her skills and innate knowledge and finds that Jasper’s skills and abilities really mix well with hers. It’s a great partnership…and more! Thanks for commenting and good luck with the drawing.
Women are attuned to everything around them and are aware of the smallest changes. Sensitive but also extremely alert.
Pearl, that’s true. Being observant is a crucial skill for a detective and women tend to notice little details. It’s fun to read about how Kate Warne picked up on these things, and translate that into a heroine in a book. Thanks for commenting and good luck in the drawing.
I saw the story on Kate on tv and ythe Pinklertons. She was a very courageous woman. They filmed the story in Canada. I saw all episodes.
Emma, I didn’t see that show! Now I’ll have to go look for it. It sounds amazing. Thanks for commenting and good luck in the drawing.
Good morning! I love these stories of women doing things men thought they couldn’t do. I think women’s ingenuity would play a big part in their success.
I love to write about strong, unconventional women. Maybe because I want to be one! Kate Warne was a real pioneer in her field and she made a great mentor for my woman detective, who is a fictional member of her “Female Detective” squad in the Pinkerton Agency. Hope you’ll check out the book and the series! Thanks for commenting and good luck in the drawing.
Thank you Linda and all the authors who blog on P&P for inviting me as a guest blogger today. I love to share historical tidbits and the inspiration for my books. This series, especially, is one that allows me to bring together all the elements I love in a story: dangerous deceits, pulse-pounding suspense, passionate romance, and a historical period that fascinates me. I hope you’ll check it out! Steam on!
EE
The story sounds very intriguing.
Thank you, Karijean. I hope you’ll check out the series. Thanks for commenting and good luck in the drawing.
organized
Yes, the gift of organization would come in handy for keeping up with details. I wish I had it! Thanks for commenting. Good luck with the drawing!
A womens; compassion and caring.
Alicia, that’s so true. In fact, it is Brigit’s compassion and caring that inspires Jasper to believe in himself. Thanks for commenting. Good luck in the drawing!
A woman’s appearance sighting her beauty and attractive nature which draws many a man to his demise. She can be very cunning, insightful and she never gives up.
That’s a great one, Judy! What’s interesting is how many of these women weren’t great beauties, but they could make themselves beautiful. And persistence, yes! In Lawless Hearts, once of Brigit’s strengths is her persistent nature. She never gives up on her assignment or her man. Thanks for commenting! Good luck!
A woman could disguise herself and find a way to get into places a man could not! This sounds like such a great book Congratulations!
Thank you Sarah! Yes, the ability to slip into disguise is something Brigit does well, and she teaches Jasper a little about the art of pretend. Thanks for commenting! Good luck!
According to the Cult of True Womanhood, women weren’t smart enough or strong enough to be a threat. They would never expect to have a woman tracking them down, being one step ahead of them, or setting them up to be thwarted or captured. Add in women’s intuition and charm, many men would fall into their trap. Thank you for writing stories that highlight strong women and their contributions to a safer country.
Patricia, I have found the Cult of True Womanhood that persisted through the 19th and into the 20th century to be a fascinating topic. Women supported it! Not all of them. Not women like Kate Warne. Thank goodness for strong independent women! Thanks for commenting. Good luck!
I think one of the woman’s strengths is how often women are overlooked, she could do a lot and hear a lot without being noticed.
Yes, Megan, that’s true that women are often overlooked. In the case of Kate Warne, she wouldn’t let Allan Pinkerton overlook her! I love her persistence. Thanks for commenting. Good luck!
A women could slip in and listen on conversations that a man couldn’t get away with.
Hi, E.E. Welcome to P&P. Your new book must be an Awesome read. I think a woman would be better in this kind of work because she can do two thinks I once. She can flirt & use her mind to outsmart her admirer & then go forward with her investigation & slip into another role.